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Posts Tagged ‘Y-DNA test’

The last names and DNA are two paths a person can take to search their ancestral past. In most cases, these two pieces of information can work hand in hand. This is because the last name is the surname of a family, which is passed down from father to son, generation to generation.

In the past, most genealogists used the surname of the family to trace out the historical roots of their family tree. This was the only means available to them. Interviews were conducted where the eldest members of the family would enlighten those that were interested on their family lineage that had already passed away.

In many cases, there were old diaries and bibles that were passed down from generation to generation, chronicling the history of a family. In such diaries would be examples or references to official documents like land grants, obituaries, births, weddings, and news items that were reported in local newspapers about past family members.

Today, there is another tool available to the modern genealogist. This is with DNA testing and their results. This makes the job of tracing a family’s roots much easier. No longer does a lead have to be physically traced out by a person traveling to a region and searching for a person or family with the same last name. The records in old newspapers from these regions can now be found online that also makes it more accessible to a greater number of people.

With more amateur genealogists registering their findings online, complete family trees are being developed. DNA results are easy to compare and a greater number of relationships are being discovered.

Today, the use of last names and DNA results are making the task of finding one’s past easier. This is more than just a hobby, but part of history.  By taking a Y-DNA test and registering your line in the database you will have a good chance of locating other relatives with the same name.

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There are several surname genealogy options available for anyone hoping to document their family tree.  In order to properly understand and document your Y-DNA test results for your male ancestors, which is also called surname genealogy, you will need to do some basic genealogical research.

Begin with the person you know best; yourself!  Using a website that facilitates ancestry searches, begin by writing everything you know about your origins and those of your family.

List the names and birthplaces of your parents and your grandparents if you know them.  Go back as far as you can.  Whether you know a lot about your family history or a little, this is a good place to start.

If you choose a more traditional approach, write about your family history offline, the old fashioned way.  Get a paperboard and construct a family tree using documents and photographs.  In these modern times your display may include website addresses that contain audio and video files from your family uploaded to the web.

Creating a family history book is an exciting project that capitalizes on the scrapbooking hobby so popular today.  There are several websites that can help you with design ideas for your project.  A quick search on scrapbooking will bring you many choices.

One of the best resources for information about your family is your oldest family members.  Talk to them and get them involved; your grandparents, aunts and uncles, your great-grandparents if they are living.  They have many interesting stories to tell but often won’t offer them up because they think no one is interested.

If you show an interest in their early years you’ll be amazed at what you learn.  You’ll see these family members in a whole new light and you’ll have a treasure trove of new information to write down and share with future generations.

If you decide to interview older relatives, consult with a website that has ideas on the types of questions to get you started.  Once you have the information, the most exciting aspect of surname genealogy is to share it with other family members so that your ancestry becomes a well-worn tale.

The traditional research methods described above coupled with modern day Genealogy DNA testing will bring you many hours of fascinating fun.

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The most common ancestry DNA test is the Y-DNA and the mtDNA test.  Using the genetic information in these tests, you can answer questions about your long-ago history that your grandparents and historical documents can’t provide.

There are 100 labs worldwide that collect DNA material for genetic testing. All tests are basically the same.  They require a swab of the inside of your cheek and use it to establish a database of comparison.

The Y-DNA test will establish the direct line ancestry of your father since only males have a Y chromosome.  It passes unchanged from father to son and beyond.   Laboratories compare the analysis of samples among men and to find out how far back they must go to discover a common ancestor.   That is how families learn who among those with the same surname are related to them.   In fact, some families have ongoing surname projects where various family members submit Y-DNA samples to discover other people with the same surname who are indeed related.

Woman do not have Y chromosomes so their X chromosomes are reliable only in determining their mother’s maternal ancestral line.  Women who wish to know more about their paternal ancestry must request cooperation for a sample from their father, uncle, brother, paternal grandfather or cousin who shares the same surname as the father.

Once in the lab, workers look for various markers along the Y-DNA strand.  The more markers, the more accurate the results of one’s ancestry.  The Genographic Project is looking at 12 markers; however surname projects and most laboratories look for 25 markers or more.

Once the markers are compared, workers can suggest a haplogroup, or genetic population.  Haplogroups are ancient clans that migrated across the globe from Africa.

Genetic testing can determine what percentage of a person is European, Asian, Native American or Sub-Saharan African, making an ancestry DNA test the most revealing test one can take.

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